Biodiversity Net Gains (BNG) call for sites

The BNG call for sites consultation has now closed

We have started work on the review of the Colchester Local Plan. As part of the initial work, we invite you to propose land within the Colchester district for offsite biodiversity net gain (BNG).

This is to supplement the ‘call for sites’ that took place from 20 October 2023 – 05 January 2024. The call for sites is an opportunity to suggest sites to be considered to inform the preparation of the Local Plan. All sites will need to be further assessed and the overall strategy for the Local Plan will be informed by a number of evidence base documents and feedback from consultations.

The submission of a site through the call for sites process does not give them any planning status, nor does it determine any future planning status.
We will only accept sites put forward for BNG – proposals for any other uses will be rejected. We will only accept sites from those who own or have an option on the land.

BNG is a way of creating and improving natural habitats. By law, the biodiversity value of a development site will need to increase by 10%. In some cases, the developer will be able to achieve this within the site itself, for example by creating new natural features. In cases where 10% BNG can’t be achieved on the site, developers can pay other landowners elsewhere to carry out habitat improvements on their behalf. BNG provides landowners the opportunity to make money while also supporting nature.

See the government website and Essex County Council guidance for more information about BNG: 

• Biodiversity net gain - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 
• Biodiversity Net Gain | Essex Design Guide

The easiest and quickest way to submit your site is by using our public consultation website.

You can download a PDF form to complete and email it to local.plan@colchester.gov.uk or post it to:

Planning Policy,
Rowan House,
33 Sheepen Road,
Colchester,
CO3 3WG

You should provide as much detail and information as possible in your submission. All submissions will go through a validation process and we will contact you if we need more information.

Due to the call for sites form containing sensitive and personal information, these will not be published in full in accordance with GDPR. However, certain elements such as the name of the site and the site boundary will be available and published on the Consultation Portal and/or council’s website. 

Find more information on how your data is processed